North River Dock, New York 1901

Childe Hassam made this pastel drawing of the North River Dock in New York with a quick hand. It’s so immediate, it feels like he just walked off the street and started sketching. Look at how he’s layered strokes of blues and browns to make the scene come alive. The marks are all visible; it’s like he’s showing us his thinking as he goes. You can almost feel him smudging the pastel with his fingers to get the water just right. And that brown paper he’s working on? It peeks through, giving the whole thing a warm, gritty vibe. Notice that bright yellow spot right in the middle, surrounded by some kind of cranes. It’s like a little sun, drawing you in. Hassam was doing his version of Impressionism. Think of what Monet was doing in France, but with an American accent. They’re both chasing after that fleeting moment, trying to capture the light. It’s all about the process.